Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services Issue Letter to State Medicaid Administrators Urging Coverage for Life-Saving Hepatitis C Medications
“The Justice Department announced today that it and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a joint letter to state Medicaid administrators urging them to ensure, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), that their Medicaid programs allow people who have both Hepatitis C (HCV) and substance use disorder (SUD) to access life-saving HCV medications called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).”
Testing, diagnosis, and treatment following the implementation of a program to provide dried blood spot testing for HIV and hepatitis C infections: the NSW DBS Pilot
“Dried blood spot (DBS) testing provides an alternative to phlebotomy and addresses barriers to accessing healthcare experienced by some key populations. Large-scale evaluations of DBS testing programs are needed to understand their feasibility. This study evaluated the implementation of a state-wide DBS HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing pilot.”
Disparities in HCV and preterm birth based on region
“Pregnant women in rural Appalachia face an 11.94% hepatitis C virus infection rate—5 times the state average—revealing a pressing public health concern that demands increased treatment opportunities.”
Bill That Distributes Sterile Needles To Drug Users Advanced By Nebraska Lawmakers.
“A bill from Nebraska State Senator Megan Hunt that would provide drug users with sterile needles to help get them get clean and prevent the spread of infectious diseases advanced to a second round of debate on Friday. “LB 307 would allow local jurisdictions to authorize public behavioral health programs to distribute hypodermic needles or sterile syringes to reduce the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C.” She says Syringe Service Programs are growing in popularity and encourage treatment of drug addiction.”
Unraveling IL-17 and IL-22 role in occult hepatitis C versus chronic hepatitis C virus infection
“Cytokines play a crucial role in regulating the function of the immune system by controlling the production, differentiation, and activity of immune cells. Occult hepatitis C virus (OHCV) infection can lead to liver damage, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This study investigates the immunopathogenic impact of the cytokines IL-17 and IL-22 in OHCV infection compared to chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection.”
New ACG Guideline Offers Recommendations for Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease
“To curb alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), alcohol consumption should be avoided among those with underlying obesity, chronic hepatitis C infection, hepatitis B virus infection, or a history of gastric bypass, according to a new clinical guideline from the American College of Gastroenterology. In addition, health systems need to overcome barriers to treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and commit to creating a multidisciplinary care model with behavioral interventions and pharmacotherapy for patients.”
Nearly 40% of People With HCV Are Unaware of Their Status
“Only 60% of people with hepatitis C know that they have the disease, according to findings published in PLOS ONE. Increased awareness, leading to expanded treatment, is a key strategy for the elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public health threat.”
What Patients With Liver Cancer Need to Know About Hepatitis B and C
““If you have no underlying chronic liver disease, there should be almost no chance that you would ever get HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma; the most common type of liver cancer). … In my career of almost 30 years, I’ve never seen a liver cancer patient that did not have a chronic underlying liver disease,” said Nguyen of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Stanford University Medical Center and the department of epidemiology and population health at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.”
